Well… here we are again, with the third chapter of A Certain Supernatural Substitute. Man, again, I would like to thank all of you for following this story and yes, I am aware that some of you have some concerns in regards to how it will flow. Every story has that problem and I hope I can keep the chapters consistent and engaging.
Since the three episodes of Burn The Witch were released, I have to say… DEFINITELY interesting. And since it is connected to the Soul Society, I might eventually have it crossover with this story(plus, Noel is best girl to me).
But let's keep that for the future. TO THE REVIEWS!
Ikusatsunagi: Sheesh, you really like that pairing, huh?
Matemeo3: That's exactly the purpose of the sword. Kisuke would never let Ichigo come to a place without some protection. Besides, the foldable blade won't be around forever, at least until he gets his powers back.
Cloud111: Damn, and I thought my editor got all the errors. Sorry about that.
Kynan99: Thanks.
SolSparda369: No kidding. Then again, Ichigo is a Shonen protagonist, so it's only natural for him to get in trouble sooner than later. You'll learn more about the sword this chapter and those ideas are… interesting.
Aesir19: That's right. I remember her fight against Touma showcased that she used wires instead of magic, hence why he couldn't negate them. Kon will return, but since he doesn't have any special abilities, Ririn and the other Mod Souls are much better choices for helping Ichigo.
Guest: Oh, I have a lot of interesting plans for this story.
Guest number 2: I still enjoy bloodstan soul, even though it went… crazy. But I'm glad you have concern for the sword cause I have plans for it.
Messiah of authors: Thanks for agreeing with me about the sword. I have to think logically for this story(as close to it as I can anyways).
Guest number 3: I've seen a lot of Ichigo's new forms in Brave Souls and will see if I can bring them into the story in a logical way.
To recap the last chapter: July had come as Ichigo and Isshin prepared to go to Academy City, with the former saying his goodbyes for his friends and family. After some time, they arrived, with Isshin introducing Ichigo to Masaki's old friend Inca. Once alone, Ichigo opened the case Kisuke had given him, finding the Mod Soul Ririn and a foldable sword inside. Once he was able to get some of his affairs in order, Ichigo caught sight of an esper vs Esper battle and during said fight, he saved a young boy and discovered the power of his sword. However, even that isn't enough to stop a strong Esper, only for the third strongest Esper, Mikoto Misaka, to help him in the end.
What new challenges will Ichigo face now that his new weapon was unveiled to the public? And would he be able to handle the craziness that is Academy City? Time to find out.
"Okay, tell me if this hurts." A paramedic asked while pressing a cool pack on Ichigo's chest. The orange haired teen winced a bit at the pain, but stayed quiet. After all, this was the least pain he had endured in a while.
It was half an hour since the whole situation with the bank robbers and the sun was slowly beginning to descend. The police, or Anti-Skill as they were called, arrived to apprehend the robbers, though an ambulance was called in for the robber that Misaka girl hurt, as well as for Ichigo.
"Okay, it doesn't look too severe." The paramedic told Ichigo while wrapping an ACE bandage around his stomach, which had somewhat of a large bruise. "Just press some ice on your stomach for thirty minutes and take plenty of rest. If you feel it isn't getting better, then I recommend going to the hospital. And try not to sleep on your stomach and eat slowly to avoid anymore pain."
"Got it. Thanks." Ichigo thanked him, making the paramedic smile as he went to talk to his coworkers. Ichigo then pulled his shirt down, putting a hand over his stomach. 'I was lucky. If that had hit me any harder, I would've lost my lunch. Guess Esper powers are no joke around here.'
"Are you feeling better?" Ichigo was brought out of his thoughts by a somewhat familiar voice. Looking up, Ichigo found the two girls from before standing in front of him, though the girl with the pigtails was giving him a look.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's not every day you get punched in the gut by air." Ichigo mildly joked, though he did wince a bit from the pain.
"Well that's what you get for interfering with Judgement work." Pigtails said with a disapproving tone, making Ichigo raise a brow.
"Judgement? The hell's that?" Ichigo asked, much to the surprise of the girls.
"Hang on, you seriously don't know about Judgement?" The brown haired girl asked in surprise.
'I just got here, so I'm still learning about Academy City." Ichigo answered honestly, hoping not to confuse the girls. "So what is Judgement?" Both girls looked at each other before the one with pigtails started explaining.
"Judgement is Academy City's disciplinary committee." Pigtails said while showing Ichigo her green armband. "You can tell who's a member of Judgement by this armband. We work with Anti Skill to keep order, whether it'd be from criminals or even other powered students."
"So basically, you're cops?" Ichigo summarized with a raised brow. It was simple enough to deduce what Judgement was by her explanation. Still, he had a question. "Then if it's Judgement's job to keep the peace, why doesn't she have that armband?" He gestured to Misaka, who chuckled a bit.
"Yeah, about that… I just kind of… stepped in." She admitted while scratching her cheek. However, pigtails then wrapped her arms around her.
"That's because Sissy is always looking out for everyone! She's amazing~" Pigtails said affectionately, much to Misaka's uncomfort.
"Kuroko, you can let go!" The brown haired girl urged while attempting to pull Kuroko away, though she kept a strong grip around her.
'Why am I suddenly getting Chizuru vibes all of a sudden?' Ichigo thought with a sweatdrop, being reminded of his red haired lecherous classmate. "Are you sisters or something?"
"No. That's just something she likes calling me." Misaka answered before pushing Kuroko away, making the red eyed girl groan in disappointment. "I guess we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Mikoto Misaka and she's Kuroko Shirai."
"Yeah, she mentioned your name to me." Ichigo said before standing up. "Name's Ichigo Kurosaki. I just moved here." Now it made sense to the girls why he didn't know about Judgement, yet they were still confused about something.
"Transferring in the summer without knowing where you were going? That doesn't sound like the best plan, Kurosaki." Kuroko said with a raised brow, making Ichigo nod.
"Guess you're right." Ichigo confessed as he grabbed his bag from the ambulance. "I should get going before my old man wonders where I am."
"Sorry, but we have some questions for you." The three turned their heads to find a newcomer walking up to them. It was a tall woman that had glamorous proportions, long dark blue hair that tied into a ponytail, blue eyes and a fair skin complex. She wore black riot gear over a blue uniform and black gloves.
"Miss Yomikawa, have the criminals been apprehended?" Kuroko asked the woman known as Yomikawa with a professional tone.
"They are thanks to you and our friend here." Yomikawa said with a small smile before she glanced at Ichigo. "I have some questions, if you don't mind me asking." Ichigo knew this conversation would eventually come, hence why he didn't talk to Mikoto and Kuroko when they asked about his sword. Plus, if he ended up running off like an idiot, then it would make his time in Academy City MUCH harder than it should be.
With a sigh, Ichigo put his bag down while looking at Yomikawa. "Alright. I'll talk."
"For one, you do know that it's dangerous to jump head first into a robbery, right? You could've been seriously hurt." Yomikawa scolded him with a serious tone. Of course she would start with a scolding, though he could hardly blame her.
"I know." Ichigo said while rubbing the back of his neck before he gave her a serious expression. "But I couldn't let that kid be taken hostage, especially since Kuroko couldn't do anything at the moment."
'Kuroko?' Both Mikoto and Kuro thought, wondering why he would use the latter's first name so casually.
"I understand. But if we let vigilantes take justice in their own hands, then it would make Anti Skills' job much harder. So I recommend not doing it." Yomikawa explained, getting a nod from the orange haired male. "Second… your weapon."
'I figured she'd ask about that.' Ichigo thought with a sigh before he showed her his metal bracelet, making her raise a brow.
"That's it? Because eyewitness reports say you were holding a sword that could block attacks." Yomikawa stated, not finding what Ichigo was doing entertaining. However, she was then surprised to see him flick his wrist, allowing his bracelet to unfold and his sword to extend. "... Well."
"If you want to know where I got it, my friend made it for an experiment. Before you ask, I'm not completely sure how he did it." Ichigo began explaining as he handed the weapon to the Anti Skill lieutenant, who took it while examining it closely.
"It's light, and the edge isn't sharp." Yomikawa said while running her fingers along the sword. Though she wasn't an expert in swords, even she had to admit the blade in her hands was crafted well. "But you should know that students should not hold weapons like this without proper authorization. Otherwise, you'd be in serious trouble." She then gave Ichigo his sword back, prompting him to return it back to its bracelet form. "Since this is your first offense and you didn't cause any damage, I'll let you off with a warning. But you should get this weapon registered in the Academy City database. Otherwise, the next time will be more than a slap to the wrist." Her tone made it very clear what would happen to the Karakura teenager, not that he blamed her though. "Alright. I think I have enough for my report. But I will need your student ID."
"Yeah, about that…" Ichigo said while rubbing the back of his neck, making the three females look at him. "I just got here and haven't started the next semester, so I don't have a school ID."
'That's convenient, don't you think?" Yomikawa said with a small narrow in her eyes. Ichigo could tell she was getting suspicious of him and it made him somewhat uneasy. However, he soon saw her sigh in annoyance. "Well, as long as you have some form of identification, that should be fine."
'Dodged a bullet there.' Ichigo thought before he reached into his wallet and handed her his old Karakura ID. Reading it over, Yomikawa nodded before handing it back.
"Alright, mister Kurosaki. Just promise you won't get in any more trouble. After all, I doubt this is how you'd like your first day in Academy City to end with a trip with Anti Skill." Yomikawa stated before she began walking away. But she soon stopped. "But as someone who lives here…" She looked over her shoulder and gave him a light smirk. "You did a good thing. Just think next time." And with that, she went to her vehicle.
"Still…" Mikoto spoke up to get Ichigo's attention, looking at his bracelet. "How DOES that sword block powers? I've never seen anything like that."
"Your guess is as good as mine." Ichigo shrugged before he grabbed his stuff yet again and started walking away. "Well, it was good meeting you, Mikoto. Kuroko."
"Do you really not care about honorifics?" Kuroko had to question with her arms crossed, only to see the strawberry wave his hand without a care in the world.
"Hey, mister!" Ichigo stopped in his tracks as he looked to the side, only to see the boy he saved earlier waving at him with a big smile. "Thanks for saving me!" The usually stoic seventeen year old cracked a small smile while waving at the kid back. At least he was able to save someone, even if it led to a small scolding.
"Misaka, Shirai!" Said girls smiled as they turned around, seeing their two friends run up to them. They both wore a similar outfit: a white and dark blue sailor uniform with red ties in front of them. On the right was a small girl with short black hair, golden brown eyes and thick eyebrows that were hidden under a flower headband she wore. Next to her was a taller girl with long black hair with a white flower on the left side and blue eyes.
"You two were amazing. Especially you, Misaka! I never thought I would witness your Railgun!" the short girl, known as Kazari Uihara, said with stars in her eyes. She then realized her partner was giving her a look, making her laugh. "N-Not that what you did wasn't impressive, Shirai."
"Aww, don't worry. I'm sure she knows what you mean." Her friend, who was better known as Ruiko Staen, said in a reassuring tone while giving both Espers a smile. "Still, to see you two stop those robbers was a sight to see."
"Of course. After all, Sissy did show them why she's number three." Kuroko said with a confident tone.
"Still, that guy sure was strong." Ruiko admitted as she looked at the direction Ichigo was walking towards. "I mean he was so fast. Personally, I was about to step in to help, but he rushed by and took out that guy with one punch."
"If you did, you would've been hurt." Kazari told her friend with a frown before she tilted her head. "But I am curious about his sword. Where did he get it?"
"We're not sure." Mikoto confessed with one eye closed in thought. "He mentioned a friend making it for him, but that's about it. Plus, he did say that he just came here after transferring." The four girls stood in silence, thinking about everything Ichigo had done. He was new, yet he willingly put himself in danger just to save someone. Anyone would see him as a hero, though Kuroko was reluctant to call him one.
Still… there was one important question they had.
"Why did he dye his hair orange?" They all said in unison with sweatdrops on their heads.
Hey, it was an honest question.
'Jitaku Kara, sometime later'
After a long walk from the scene, Ichigo was able to make it to the hotel, even ignoring the annoying pain that came from his stomach. He greeted the employees he passed by with a quick 'hey' and just kept moving to the elevator to head to his room.
'Already one day here and I got hurt. That's a record.' Ichigo joked almost bitterly as the elevator doors opened, bringing him to his designated floor. As he walked through the hallway, he began thinking about what he had seen. "Judgement, Anti Skill, level five Espers… Academy City sure is different from Karakura. I should probably keep from using the sword until I get it registered, though I have no idea where to go. Oh yeah, I need to ask Kisuke about it if I'm gonna keep using it.' When he raised his head yet again, Ichigo found himself in front of his room door. 'Well, what a damn day.' Reaching into his pocket, Ichigo took out the key Inca gave him and unlocked the door, allowing him to enter. "Hey."
*SMACK*
"GUAH!" Unsurprisingly, Ichigo was kicked in the stomach by Isshin.
"WHERE WERE YOU, SON?!" Isshin shouted in clear irritation as Ichigo landed on the ground. Of course he would greet Ichigo in such a way, even when they weren't in Karakura Town. Still, it didn't make the pain in Ichigo's stomach lessen anymore. "You said you would be back before three, and it's almost five! Did you really get lost-" However, Isshin noticed his son holding his stomach with a groan, making him raise a brow. "Is something wrong?"
"Besides the fact you kicked me?" Ichigo asked rhetorically while giving his father a glare and standing back up. However, he still held his stomach as he walked past Isshin, only for him to grab his shoulder.
"What happened?" Isshin question, shifting to a serious tone.
"It was nothing. Just a stupid fight." Ichigo said vaguely, only for his father to grab him by the shoulder, stopping him from moving. Before he could retort, Isshin pulled Ichigo's shirt up, revealing his bandaged stomach.
"Really? Just a stupid fight?" Isshin asked with heavy sarcasm as he glared at Ichigo. "Explain." Ichigo knew from experience he couldn't argue with his father when he was like this, so he relented and explained what happened after meeting Ikumi's sister. "Wow, it hasn't even been half a day and you already got into a fight. And with an Esper no less." The oldest Kurosaki sighed while turning away. "Guess I owe Kisuke some money."
"... You made a bet to see if I'd get in a fight?" Ichigo asked his father with a very irritated tone, his brown eyes staring into Isshin's soul. Isshin gave an innocent girn, though Ichigo wasn't convinced. "Who else?"
"Me, Kisuke… Tessai… Uryu…" Isshin started listing off, making his son feel even more annoyed than before. "But forget about that. You used the sword Kisuke made you, I see." He looked down at the bracelet, which Ichigo rubbed.
"I was planning on calling him about that." Ichigo informed his father as he started making his way to his room. "Gonna rest up right now, so don't bother me."
"Sure." Isshin muttered as he watched his son enter his room, closing the door in the process. As soon as he was alone, Isshin let out a sigh while rubbing his neck. 'I knew he'd start getting noticed by people here. It's one of his biggest flaws. Then again, trouble seems to find him.' His eyes narrowed as a thought occurred. 'Still, I'm worried HE'LL start to notice Ichigo.'
Unconsciously… he rubbed an object that was in his pocket. Something Inca had given him.
'Three hours earlier'
"I gotta admit. You really keep this place going." Isshin complimented as he took a sip from the alcohol provided by the Jitaku Kara staff. Currently, he and Inca were at the bar, trying to enjoy each other's company.
Keyword TRYING.
"You really don't think I would clean my building? That's an insult, Isshin." Inca said with a glare as she sipped her own drink, a Strawberry Sunrise. Once the sweet taste entered her taste buds, Inca looked at Isshin with a serious look. "Does Ichigo know?"
"About how much of a pain it was to transfer him? He'll know when he has kids." Isshin answered with a shrug before he raised a hand, catching Inca's stick before it could hit his head.
"Not that, you moron." Inca told him with an annoyed tone. "I mean… does he KNOW about Masaki's past?" At the mention of his wife, Isshin frowned deeply as he lowered the wooden stick, allowing Inca to pull it away and hit it in her sleeve. "It's been eight years since she died, yet Ichigo still doesn't know?"
"It's complicated." Isshin said bitterly as he downed his drink before motioning the bartender to refill it. "Ichigo's life hasn't been the most normal, and last year was especially hard on him. The past isn't important right now."
"But he has a right to know." Inca reasoned, her patience growing thin. "Look, I'm not trying to tell you how to raise your children. I know it's difficult, especially for a single parent. But sooner or later, you have to tell them."
Isshin hated how right she was. Ichigo became a Soul Reaper over a year ago and he faced more life and death experiences than anyone his age should ever endure. He was forced to fight Soul Reapers, Hollows, and even someone who had the power to defeat all the Squad Captains and himself. Giving him the truth about Masaki would probably be too much for him to handle. And that's not even considering how Yuzu and Karin would react, despite the former being spiritually aware.
Just thinking about it caused a headache to occur in the former Captain's head. Seeing his reaction, Inca's expression softened before she reached into her sleeve and pulled out something, tapping Isshin's shoulder.
"Here." Inca told him in a much softer tone, something that caught Isshin's attention. He looked at what she was giving him and widened his eyes.
"Why do you have this?" Isshin asked with a glare.
"I didn't steal it, idiot. Masaki gave it to me." Inca explained before putting the object into Isshin's hand. "She said I should give it to you so you can give it to Ichigo one day when he was ready. Just promise you'll think about it, okay?"
Isshin looked at the object in his hand with a hint of sadness in his eyes. It held much significance in regards to Masaki's past and now, Isshin had it in the palm of his hands.
The item itself… was a Quincy Cross.
'Flashback end'
Once Ichigo was alone in his room, he placed his bag down and fell back first onto his bed, letting out a sigh. "What a damn day."
"Was it really that bad?" Ririn suddenly appeared next to Ichigo with a curious face. She was wondering how Ichigo's first time out in Academy City went, yet judging by his expression, it wasn't pleasant.
"Not really. Unless you count getting hit by an Esper's power." Ichigo told her bluntly. He then fished into his pocket and took out his phone, looking through his contacts. He eventually found the one he was looking for and pressed CALL. After a few rings, a familiar voice spoke up.
"Hello! Thank you for calling the Urahara Shop! We have the best in candy for the best of prices! How can I help you?" Kisuke spoke up from the other end in a cheery tone, making Ichigo sweatdrop.
"You really answer calls like that, huh?" Ichigo questioned bluntly.
"Why as I live and breathe! Ichigo, my boy! How's Academy City treating you?" Kisuke asked like a curious child, mostly to irritate Ichigo.
"It's about the box you sent me."
"Ahhh. So you opened it." Kisuke's tone changed to a somewhat serious tone.
"You never said you were sending Ririn." Ichigo told the shopkeeper, making Ririn pout.
"Hey! Are you saying you don't want me to go with you?! Is that a problem?!" Ririn shouted in anger, though Ichigo merely ignored her for the time being.
"Oh, you found her. You wouldn't believe how much she begged to go with you." Kisuke said with an amused chuckle, making Ichigo look at the Mod Soul with a blank expression. She seemed to realize why he gave her that look and turned away with an embarrassed blush. "But that's not what you wanted to talk about, was it?"
"The sword." Ichigo said in a very serious tone.
"Yup, one of my most intriguing inventions yet. You wouldn't believe how long it took to make Mugetsu. I thought I was going to faint." Kisuke explained with a dramatic tone, though there was something that caught Ichigo's attention.
"Hold on. Mugetsu? You named it after that attack?" Ichigo questioned Kisuke while sitting up, ignoring the pain he felt. Why in God's Earth would the shopkeeper name this weapon after the technique he used against Aizen?
"Just thought it'd be fitting. After all, it has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Even if Ichigo couldn't see him, he could imagine Kisuke grinning that annoying grin just to screw with him. "You can change it if you want, but I say keep the name. But as for how it works. Allow me to explain."
"Please do." Ichigo replied with a flat tone, lacking any enthusiasm.
"Not to toot my own horn, but I think this proves my genius." Kisuke gloated, making Ichigo tempted to hang up. "I admit that finding the right metal was difficult, but once I did and had a general outline of how it'd look, it was simple. Are you looking at the blade right now?" Ichigo opened his weapon in order to look at it.
"Yeah, why?" Ichigo questioned in a curious tone.
"Have Ririn look at it and ask what she sees." Kisuke instructed further.
"Ririn, look at the sword." Ichigo asked the Mod Soul, who stared at his weapon. "Do you see anything weird?"
"Yeah. I can see Reishi around the blade." Ririn told Ichigo, much to his surprise.
"Like she said, Reishi is being absorbed by the sword." Kisuke told Ichigo. "I may have borrowed one of Uryu's Seele Schneider and examined its Reishi absorption ability. Honestly, having such a weapon was fascinating. When the blade is out of its condensed form, it slowly starts to absorb Reishi in the area and forms a kind of barrier around it. Whenever it comes into contact with an Esper's attack, it forcefully pushes it back. It CAN'T negate them, so don't ask. Also, the barrier only surrounds the blade, so try not blocking with the hilt." It made sense to Ichigo, especially that last part. If he had been reckless and actually used the hilt to defend for some reason, he would've gotten more than a bruise on his stomach. However, he was brought out of his thoughts by Kisuke's serious tone. "But in all seriousness, don't push your luck, Ichigo. What you have is a prototype, so its durability is unknown."
"I figured as much." Ichigo said with a shrug before he forced his sword back into bracelet form, placing it next to his bed. "But I'll be careful."
"Good." Kisuke's perky tone returned. "But if you end up making friends and they decide to visit Karakura Town, make sure to tell them abou-"
Ichigo hung up the moment Kisuke started promoting his store. He wasn't sure whether this was a tease of if Kisuke genuinely wanted customers. Either way, he annoyed the strawberry.
"What now, Ichigo?" Ririn couldn't help but ask as Ichigo laid back on his bed.
"For now, I'm just going to sleep." Was all Ichigo said as he closed his eyes. The bird plushie doll just struggled before she took out one of Ichigo's manga.
Today was a pain and all he wanted to do was sleep.
'Urahara shop, around the same time'
"Well, that's just plain rude." Kisuke said to himself with a pout as he hung up his phone. He was just looking for a little help with promoting his store, yet Ichigo couldn't even do that? Then again, he and Kisuke did push him to go to Academy City… but that was more of a reward than anything else.
"It looks like Ichigo hasn't changed at all." The shopkeeper smiled as he turned around, only to see the door to the living room open. The person who slid it open was none other than Yoruichi Shihoin, clad in her orange robes and black pants.
"Tell me about it. He won't even help with the store." Kisuke mildly complained, though it was clear he was joking around. However, he soon donned a serious expression as he tilted his hat up a bit. "So… are you fully rested? Flashstepping for weeks isn't exactly easy, even for you."
"You really doubt me, do you Kisuke?" Yoruichi teases before she frowns. "But I am fine. It's the human I fought that worries me."
'Flashback, one month ago'
*STAB*
The sound of flesh being pierced, followed by a squirt of blood rang in the air. However, no one below could see or hear it as they simply went about their evening.
However… the one who was stabbed wasn't Yoruichi.
"I knew you'd try something like this." Yoruichi said in a serious tone as she stared at the person who attacked her. Before their ice-coated hand could strike her, Yoruichi took out a kunai she had hidden within her clothes and with her free hand, stabbed their hand. The attack clearly surprised the attacker, though surprisingly, they did make so much as a peep. Planting her feet on her attacker's stomach, Yoruichi pushed him away, shattering the ice around her arm and creating distance between them.
"... Your skills are truly remarkable." The masked man confessed while looking at his bleeding hand. "Truth be told, I expected as much from someone like you."
"Don't sell yourself short. To be able to react fast enough to stop my attack before is no easy feat, especially for a human." Yoruichi complimented while putting her kunai away. "Let me guess: you have more than ice magic with you. And I'm willing to bet it's capable of predicting an attack." The masked man said nothing, only staring at his hand. This didn't sit well with the former Squad two captain, though she said nothing.
Then… the man started freezing his hand, forcefully closing the wound. It hurt like hell, but at least he wouldn't need to worry about it bleeding.
"I was wrong to underestimate you and for that, I apologize." The masked man said before giving Yoruichi a bow."But your theory isn't true. At least not the way you described it."
"Then what? Is it a premonition?" Yoruichi questioned yet again, hoping to get more information. However, she saw him swing his sword in the air, sending a small gust of cold air towards her.
"Please do not assume anything from my words." The masked man told her, a hint of anger in his tone. "While I did apologize for my earlier actions, that does not dictate that I must reveal the source of my abilities. I doubt you would offer me any information either."
"Hmmm, you're right." Yoruichi replied with a small chuckle before aiming her Zanpakuto at the man. "Why don't we end this? Because as much as I would love to play with you, I have a mission. I'm sure you understand."
"Fully." He said before sheathing his sword, making Yoruichi narrow her eyes. "Let us end this."
'What is he-' Yoruichi couldn't finish her thought as she saw the masked man raise his right fist, a magic seal appearing on the back of his fist. Then, a large gust of wind was shooting out from around the masked man, his power increasing. 'Is he going to use an advanced spell? Judging by the amount of power he's emitting, that much is obvious. But why now?'
"I am the White Void." The masked man started chanting in a deadly serious tone. "I am the cold Steel. I am the just sword…" The light in his hand began glowing intensely, the clouds nearby slowly being pushed away. "With the blade in my hand, I will reap the sins of this world and cleanse it from the fires of destruction!" Quickly, the masked man reached out for his sword and rushed towards Yoruichi with impressive speed. "THE END HAS COME!"
Yoruichi prepared to block his attack, only to widen her eyes.
"BAKU-!"
*BOOM*
A large explosion of light engulfed the night sky for a brief moment, catching the attention of everyone below. However, it disappeared a moment later.
*CRASH*
But as soon as the light disappeared, a large crash occurred near a local river, dust scattering around the area. Of course, everyone began to panic from the attack and some even began calling the authorities.
"Damn…" Standing in the sky was Yoruichi, who extended her right hand while dropping the small light blue orb she had used, Bakudō #8. Seki. Thanks to her quick reflexes, she was able to use the ability to not only block the masked man's attack, but also send him crashing to the ground. However, as she lowered her hand, she felt it shape a bit. "That attack wasn't weak. If that did hit me, I doubt I'd come out with more than a sore arm." Though she was somewhat joking, she had a tone of seriousness in her voice as she looked down at the crater. To think a human like this would be able to use such a strong spell. And that incantation caught her attention the most. 'It sounds like he sees himself as some kind of guardian. That's much, even for a human. Where did he-"
*WHOOSH*
The dust below was suddenly cut in half as the masked man stood up. He had some blood seeping out between his white armor and he was breathing heavily, yet he still stood up strong.
"I… will…" He muttered to himself before jumping in the air, creating ice steps so he can run towards the dark skinned woman. "I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO WALK AWAY FROM ME!"
And so they battled. Again. And again.
'Flashback end'
"After that, we fought all night. Eventually, I was able to Flash Step away from him." Yoruichi finished recounting while drinking the tea Ururu had given her. "I just needed to make sure I wasn't being followed or else things might get more complicated than they already are."
"Just what I'd expect from the Flash Goddess." Kisuke teased with a chuckle as he drank his tea. However, the moment he placed it on the table, he frowned. "Still, the fact someone was sent after you is concerning."
"Do you think it's one of those magic groups? The Roman Catholic Church? Necessarius?" Yoruichi started to list out.
"Possibly. But we can't know for sure until we learn more about them." Kisuke replied before titling the front of his hat down. He, as well as the Soul Society, understood the magic world and agreed not to confront them unless needed. Yet now it seems like someone was after Soul Reapers, even former ones. "I'm more concerned about Isshin and Ichigo."
"A former Captain and his son who defeated Aizen? Yeah, I'm surprised they haven't tried anything until now." Yoruichi said while crossing her arms with a frown. "What's our plan?" The shopkeeper took out his fan and began fanning himself in thought. He was a cautious man and his instincts were telling him that this wouldn't be the last time he or anyone else would face them.
"For now, we wait. It's only a matter of time before they decide to attack." Kisuke told her, getting a nod from his oldest friend. He then slapped his fan closed while giving Yoruichi a raised brow. "By the way, what was his name?"
"His name?" Yoruichi repeated before she stood up. She began recalling the fight before speaking four words.
"His name… is Hakumen."
'Academy City, night'
Night had fallen onto Academy City, it's streets much emptier than it was earlier. Given how most of its population were students, a curfew was created and so, many of them were asleep. The only ones that were out were some adults that had night jobs, as well as the cleaning robots that roamed the streets.
But while this city is strictly focused on technology… there is a hidden power controlling the city.
In District Seven of Academy City was a large building. One that was completely windowless, which would raise more than a few brows for those walking by. It stood several stories tall with spies and aerials jutting out of the top and the building itself was glowing with purple lights.
"We have the report for the newest transfer for you, sir." A single man in a black suit said while giving the person he was speaking to a bow. He was also holding a folder that seemed to hold some information.
The person they were talking to, however, wasn't exactly NORMAL. In front of the man in the suit was a large glass cylinder that was hooked up to multiple wires and pipes. However, what was INSIDE the cylinder was what caught the man's attention. It was a tall effeminate-looking man with long white hair, a green hospital gown and he seemed to be barefoot. But the most attention catching aspect about the man was the fact that he was upside down, though he didn't seem to be affected.
Hearing one of his workers speaking to him, the upside down man smiled lightly while opening his eyes, which seemed to match the color of his gown. "Oh? And what do you have to say?" The man in the glass cylinder questioned with a hint of curiosity in his voice. The suited man nodded before opening the folder.
"It seems the newest transfer has arrived. A mister Ichigo Kurosaki." The suited man told his boss. If one could look closely, they could see the man in the glass cylinder actually widen his eyes a little and a small hint of excitement flashed in his eyes. "But if you don't mind me asking, what's so important about-"
"That'll be all for tonight. Thank you." The upside down man told his employee with a calm smile. However, those who worked with the man for so long understood when they stepped into something that was way beyond their position.
"R-Right. My apologizes, Mr. Aleister." The suited man apologized while giving his boss a bow before excusing himself, not able to hide the look of panic on his face. However, Alesiter didn't seem to notice, nor care. He simply looked ahead as a hologram video of Academy City appeared in front of him.
"It's rude to eavesdrop." Aleister spoke up without even turning around.
"I should have known you would be cautious." A new, gruffier male voice called out from the right, hidden in the shadows. He put a hand in his pocket as he looked at Aleister. "So, your prediction came true. Honestly, that gift is terrifying."
"Perhaps. Though, in the hands of a novice, it could prove most destructive." Aleister said with a small hint of amusement in his voice. "It seems fate has given us a test. One that I'm sure we will pass."
"Hmmm." The man in the shadows hummed to himself at Alesiter's words. "Do you want me and the others to confront him now?"
"No." Aleister informed him, much to his slight surprise. "We cannot be so forceful on the boy. After all, his father is still in Academy City and even I am reluctant to face someone as powerful as him without precautionary measures." He paused for a moment, watching the video from outside before his smile grew. "Like a tree, we must plant a seed of hope within Ichigo Kurosaki. At the moment, he does not possess the strength to assist us. However, if we nurture it, give it enough time, he may prove to be a valuable asset."
"Putting your hopes in a kid with orange hair? That sounds dangerous, even for you." The man in the shadows said with a hint of reluctance in his voice. They already had the one who possesses Imagine Breaker and the white haired kid on their radar, so why add someone with little to no power like Kurosaki? However, instead of being annoyed, Alesiter let out the tiniest of chuckles before he turned his head just enough to look at the speaker.
"You say this, yet your entire plan revolves around him as well." Aleister said, getting a sigh from the man in the shadows. "But for now, we shall allow him to create bonds here. I'm sure someone like him would never allow the innocent to be injured as a result of his presence. Then, you shall have him… Ginjo."
The man in the shadows stepped forward, allowing his appearance to be seen. He is a tall and lean-built man with fair skin, brown eyes and shoulder-length black hair that he keeps combed back, down to the nape of his neck. He wears black pants and a white sleeveless shirt, over which he wears a black jacket that has a fur-covered collar. He also wears a thin chain necklace that has an X-shaped pendant attached to it.
Kugo Ginjo merely smiled at Alesiter's words. "Understood."
Huh… now that I think about it… this chapter is a bit of a letdown compared to the last chapter. Then again, I did want to focus more on world building and setting up certain events for the story, so I guess this can't be helped. I will say that the first arc, the Level Upper arc, will mildly start next time, so expect some familiar events to happen. Don't worry about the arcs being copy and paste. I will work my way to integrate Ichigo in them in a natural way. And by arcs, I mean the ones in both Railgun AND Index since Ichigo has faced the supernatural before, so magic shouldn't be THAT surprising.
So… Alesiter knows Ginjo… before anyone gets angry about this, think about it. Because of who he is and the reason Xcution exists, I found it somewhat odd that they would be stationed in Karakura Town, the SAME place that has three former captains and several other spiritually aware individuals. Having them reside in Academy City makes more sense and given how Aleister is, he would mostly likely use them for his own goals(to be fair, I haven't read the light novels, so I don't know how full plan aside from hating the Gods and his connection to Heaven Canceller). But yeah, this will definitely play a factor in the Fullbring arc, though I will have Xcution do more than in canon.
As for Yoruichi's opponent, I hope there's some Blazblue fans out there. Yes, I know who he really is in that game, so I am changing him a bit, giving him the use of ice magic. Don't worry, I'll continue to work on him so he isn't too OP. But yeah, now that the set up had been made, things for Academy City might get a bit more extreme. Hopefully our resident Strawberry will make it through.
Yes… I am aware that what I did with the Isshin section might seem out of the blue, but since there are multiple individuals in Academy City that know of the supernatural, it only makes sense Inca is told about Masaki and her background. Though… I suppose it is a spoiler for those who don't know of Ichigo's true heritage. I will expand upon this later on, hopefully.
I hope Ichigo's first real interaction with Misaka and Shirai went well. Given how casual he is, Ichigo will always refer to them, as well as Saten and Uihara, by their first names. It's just how he is. But anyways...
Follow, Fav, Review and PM for anything. If you have issues with this story, let me know.
Next time: Rotten Luck.